has a tattoo or piercing ever worked against you?

[belief]

<p>just wondering. has it gotten in the way of getting a job/internship?</p>

<p>or</p>

<p>if you're an employer, is this an automatic disqualifier?</p>

[transfers2010]

<p>I don’t have any personal experience, as I’d never be stupid enough to get a tattoo or a piercing, but I’ve heard that many employers won’t hire people with visible tattoos or men with pierced ears. Still, I doubt this is an issue in low-prestige jobs, where most people with tattoos probably end up working.</p>

[AeroEngineer3141]

<p>^ Please crawl out of your little hole and realize that just because someone gets a tattoo or piercing doesn’t mean that this person is an unmotivated deadbeat. </p>

<p>I have studs in both of my ears and I’ve been thinking about getting a tattoo for a while now. While I sincerely doubt it would be the deciding factor, I would still advise that you try to cover your tattoos or remove your piercings during a job interview (and depending on the dress code possibly also while during work hours should you get the job).</p>

[RoxSox]

<p>I think it depends on a variety of factors. If you have visible piercings, I might take them out for an interview, and then when you have the job ask your boss if it’s all right to wear them. If you can’t take it out, then you’ll just have to accept the fact your odds might be not as good. For tattoos, I think most people/employers are fairly accepting as long as it’s not too large and/or distracting. </p>

<p>However, I think very few employers REALLY give a damn about things like that, unless you’re going for an entry-level job with a strict uniform.</p>

<p>Oh, and transfers, that’s absolutely ridiculous. Most people with piercings or tattoos are perfectly intelligent and hardworking. The way someone chooses to decorate their body in a certain way has nothing to do with their personal capabilities. Thanks.</p>

[BIGTWIX]

<p>I don’t have any experience with piercings or tattoos working against me, and I don’t think I’ll ever have to deal with those problems either. </p>

<p>For one, I think pierced lobes on men is not looked down upon the way it used to be (unless your employer is really old fashioned). Obviously if you want to be a teacher, you should probably not be having piercings in. For profs it doesn’t matter so much. I have multiple profs with pierced ears. I figure universities don’t care because usually good profs have quirks anyway.</p>

<p>As for me, I don’t have tattoos (though I want a few). I do however have both ears pierced and my septum as well. I don’t think either of those things will matter for the careers Im interested in.</p>

[DCHurricane]

<p>Honestly I’ve got a buddy who went abroad in high school, got piercings and a couple tattoos (nothing elaborate), came back and now he’s got women crawling all over him.</p>

<p>Now it’s just correlation and not necessarily causation, but let’s just say he’s had a hell of a lot more luck post-inkage than pre-inkage.</p>

[transfers2010]

<p>

Oh, and transfers, that’s absolutely ridiculous. Most people with piercings or tattoos are perfectly intelligent and hardworking. The way someone chooses to decorate their body in a certain way has nothing to do with their personal capabilities. Thanks.

</p>

<p>Actually, tattoos and piercings are definitely correlated with intelligence and social class. Go to an ivy league school and observe how many students have tattoos, then do the same at a community college. Similarly, go to a top law firm and observe how many lawyers have tattoos, then do the same at your local McDonalds. You’ll find a huge differnce.</p>

<p>To be sure, getting a tattoo or piercings doesn’t make you any less intelligent than you currently are, but unintellignt and undignified people are certainly more likely to get them.</p>

[IndianPwnerDude]

<p>^ I am not sure whether I would completely agree with that. </p>

<p>Tattoo use and piercing, from what I see, is very popular among those who are into alternative culture. If we want to know tattoo use as a variable of IQ, I would say those who are in the lowest 25% and those in the highest 5-10% are more likely to use tattoos than those with more average IQ.</p>

<p>Certainly tattoos are very common among prisoners but I have seen very intelligent people as well with tattoos.</p>

[DCHurricane]

<p>I’ve never understood the tattoos and jobs thing. A lot of tattoos seem to be in spots like your back, shoulders, arms etc. Y’know, places that shouldn’t be seen if you’re wearing a business outfit like you would for an interview with these places that will supposedly show you the door if you have tattoos.</p>

[transfers2010]

<p>

^ I am not sure whether I would completely agree with that.</p>

<p>Tattoo use and piercing, from what I see, is very popular among those who are into alternative culture. If we want to know tattoo use as a variable of IQ, I would say those who are in the lowest 25% and those in the highest 5-10% are more likely to use tattoos than those with more average IQ.</p>

<p>Certainly tattoos are very common among prisoners but I have seen very intelligent people as well with tattoos.

</p>

<p>I have seen nothing to suggest that people in upper echelons of intelligence are more likely to get tattoos – in fact, they seem less likely to get them.</p>

<p>My guess is that you are especially shocked to see intelligent people with tattoos and therefore remember these people more vividly, leading to a distorted perception of the commonness of tattoos among very intelligent people.</p>

[transfers2010]

<p>

I’ve never understood the tattoos and jobs thing. A lot of tattoos seem to be in spots like your back, shoulders, arms etc. Y’know, places that shouldn’t be seen if you’re wearing a business outfit like you would for an interview with these places that will supposedly show you the door if you have tattoos.

</p>

<p>Yeah, but people in a company tend to socialize outside of work. </p>

<p>What’s going to happen when you’re at a country club with your peers at a law firm and have to reveal your tattoos when you go swimming? (Answer: You’re not going to make partner.)</p>

[DCHurricane]

<p>Good thing I don’t wanna be a lawyer :D</p>

[1_Sky_Pilot]

<p>Actually, I kinda like tattoos, as long as it’s not an offensive image or anything…not as crazy about piercings. Many tattoos have a symbolic meaning behind them, which is interesting ;). </p>

<p>I can’t see myself ever getting a tattoo, but I wouldn’t have a problem working with others who have one.</p>

[romanigypsyeyes]

<p>I have a tattoo. It actually helped me get one of my jobs. My boss is helping me design my second one. </p>

<p>I don’t have visible tattoos, and I got rid of my non-ear piercings years ago. I can tell you it would NOT have hindered me from getting any of my jobs since ALL of my bosses have visible tattoos (a teacher, a principle, a photographer, and a sports team manager). I can also tell you that my father ran his own business for nearly two decades and he had plenty of employees with tattoos. </p>

<p>Tattoos are not a big deal anymore IMO unless they’re face tattoos (and really those are just dumb)… piercings can be obnoxious but unless they’re gaged, they’re not really a big deal because they can be removed.</p>

[romanigypsyeyes]

<p>

Go to an ivy league school and observe how many students have tattoos, then do the same at a community college.

</p>

<p>Five of my current and/or former professors went to Ivy league schools for undergrad and four of them went to Ivies to get PhDs. Four of them have VERY visible tattoos (2 of them have full sleeves). </p>

<p>Every single person I know at an Ivy league school (which I will admit is not many) has a tattoo. Very few people I know at our local CC has a tattoo. Take from that what you will, but it’s a gross (and unfounded) generalization.</p>

<p>ETA: Damn, what a waste of a 5,000th post. Meh, oh well.</p>

[Icarus]

<p>

Actually, tattoos and piercings are definitely correlated with intelligence and social class.

</p>

<p>Cite please? Don’t have one, do you?
And empirically, my med school class would seem to prove your claim wrong. Lots of people with tattoos in my class (and other classes at my school).</p>

<p>

but I’ve heard that many employers won’t hire people with visible tattoos or men with pierced ears.

</p>

<p>Unless you have tats on your face or hands, most are easily covered when in professional attire.
e.g.:
<a href=“http://www.tatuagem.com.br/images/stories/tattooed-doctor.jpg[/url]”>http://www.tatuagem.com.br/images/stories/tattooed-doctor.jpg&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>I know plenty of cops with tattoos, some even with full sleeves, legs, etc., but which are completely covered in uniform.</p>

[transfers2010]

<p>

Cite please? Don’t have one, do you?
And empirically, my med school class would seem to prove your claim wrong. Lots of people with tattoos in my class (and other classes at my school).

</p>

<p>I have no direct evidence for the prevalence of tattoos at Ivy League universities (I’m just using common sense). However, I do have plenty of evidence that tattooing is associated with school problems and other risk factors.</p>

<p>

Of the total sample of youths, 4.5% reported having permanent tattoos. Tattooing was significantly associated with older age, living in a single-parent household, and lower socioeconomic status but was not significantly associated with gender, ethnicity, or neighborhood type. Tattooing was strongly associated with peer substance use. Adjusting for sociodemographic factors and peer substance use, tattooing in adolescents was independently and significantly associated with reported sexual intercourse, substance use, violent behaviors, and school problems.

</p>

<p>

Participants with tattoos and/or body piercings were more likely to have engaged in risk-taking behaviors and at greater degrees of involvement than those without either. These included disordered eating behavior, gateway drug use, hard drug use, sexual activity, and suicide. Violence was associated with males having tattoos and with females having body piercings. Gateway drug use was associated with younger age of both tattooing and body piercing. Hard drug use was associated with number of body piercings. Suicide was associated with females having tattoos and younger age of both tattooing and body piercing. Tattoos and body piercings were found to be more common in females than males.

</p>

<p>In short, tattoos are associated with undesirable traits. No wonder smart people avoid them and employers don’t want to hire people with them.</p>

<p>Sources: [Tattooing</a> and High-Risk Behavior in Adolescents – Roberts and Ryan 110 (6): 1058 – Pediatrics](<a href=“http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/110/6/1058]Tattooing”>http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/110/6/1058) , [Tattoos</a> and Body Piercings as Indicators of Adolescent Risk-Taking Behaviors – Carroll et al. 109 (6): 1021 – Pediatrics](<a href=“http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/109/6/1021]Tattoos”>http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/109/6/1021)</p>

[DCHurricane]

<p>We better avoid hiring blacks too, a lot of crimes are committed by them :rolleyes:</p>

[transfers2010]

<p>^ </p>

<p>That response isn’t witty enough to warrant changing the subject.</p>

<p>Besides, race is something you’re born with; tattoos are something acquired by choice. Discriminating against people with tattoos cannot be compared to discriminating against people on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.</p>

[Yau]

<p>I have a second piercing just above the first in the earlobe. I always keep pearls in it. I can’t imagine That ever working against me.
I’m more likely to get a navel piercing at some point than a tattoo… wanted one ever since I was little! I’m learning belly dance and I think it would make performing even more fun. Not openly visible to the public however (unless by choice ).</p>